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Unicoronal Synostosis

Also known as anterior plagiocephaly

Premature fusion of a single coronal suture leads to a head shape called anterior plagiocephaly. This results in restricted anterior growth of the skull, involving the top of the skull as well as the cranial base. This causes deformities of the face, ear, nose and forehead. The affected forehead is flat with the contralateral side more forward. The affected side ear is also more forward. The face always has a characteristic “C-shaped” deformity or “facial twist”. This is characterized by the base of the nose drawn towards the affected side and the tip of the nose pointing away. The associated facial deformity is the key method of differentiating anterior plagiocephy from positional/deformational plagiocephaly, which is not the result of synostosis.